VIDEO: Happy birthday Aaliyah

The singer, who was killed in a plane crash in 2001, aged just 22, made a huge mark on the music scene and was on the cusp of a glittering Hollywood career when her life was cut short.

Born on January 16, 1979, Aaliyah Dana Haughton was signed to a record company at age 12. Three years later she released her debut single, Back and Forth from album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number. he single topped the Billboard Hot R'n'B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for three weeks and was certified Gold.

She went on to release two more albums - 1996's One In A Million and her last and self-titled studio album Aaliyah in 2001.

On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah and her crew of eight were killed in a tragic plane crash in the Bahamas where she had just filmed the video for her single Rock The Boat.

Her death sent shockwaves around the world and prompted fellow musicians to unite on a cover of her hit, Miss You.